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Tri-County Electric invests in our youth

BY DAN FAULKNER, Tri-County Electric member

JOSH FAULKNER, LEFT, WITH HIS FATHER DAN, CENTER, AND BROTHER DREW, RIGHT. JOSH WAS A PARTICIPANT OF THE 2009 RURAL ELECTRIC YOUTH TOUR SPONSORED BY TRI-COUNTY ELECTRIC. SUBMITTED PHOTO.

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arenting doesn’t come with a manual (believe me, I’ve looked). It’s tough to figure out how to

prepare your child for the future, but it’s nice to know I’m not alone in the effort. In 2009, my son, Josh, took the trip of a lifetime, the Rural Electric Youth Tour sponsored by Tri-County Electric.

Josh, along with two students from the service area, went to our nation’s capital for a week of learning and leadership training. He met our state representatives and visited the U.S. Capitol. History came alive for my son with trips to Smithsonian museums and other historic landmarks.

Jimmie L. Draper Erwin Elms

Of course, the Rural Electric Youth Tour was about more than seeing the sights. I couldn’t believe it when my son came home and told me about his new friends from around our state and across the country. As adults we know a lot of our career success depends on the network of friends we build, and it was wonderful for my son—now a young adult—to get a jump start doing just that.

But the best part about this trip? It was free. No strings attached—all my son had to do was learn about the history of our electric co-op and how government operates. In helping him prepare, I also

learned more about my co-op, and I’ve got to say I was impressed.

Electric co-ops like Tri-County Electric do so much more than provide safe, reliable, and affordable power—they’re dedicated to improving the futures of students in our community. They’ve sent promising high school juniors to Washington, D.C., for decades, and they’re not alone. Every summer more than 1,500 students from rural areas across the country get the chance to see the heart of our nation. In doing so, these young leaders learn something about themselves, too.

Josh is busy with classes at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. He’s studying music and plans to be a teacher. It has been hard to watch him grow up and move away to college. But it’s nice to know that my co-op cared enough about him to invest in his future.

Tri-County Electric knows our region is more than a collection of houses and businesses—we’re a community of people, and the strength of our future is in the hands of students like my son. Tri-County Electric invests in our children, and that’s why my co-op matters to me. n